Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA) unveils its design for the inaugural vertex by NOT A HOTEL, a coastal retreat in Okinawa, Japan, marking the first realization of NOT A HOTEL’s newly launched brands. Set between the island’s turquoise bay and a dense subtropical forest, the project continues ZHA’s four-decade engagement with Japan while translating the research of the studio into landscape-driven architecture for a highly sensitive coastal site.

A continuation of the existing rock formations, the hotel is articulated as a series of stepped horizontal planes, courtyards, and gardens. Its composition and material strategy are informed by extensive environmental analysis, including year-round studies of temperature, humidity, rainfall, prevailing winds, solar irradiation, and air quality. These datasets were translated into digital models that guide the orientation, spatial sequencing, and envelope design of the building to enhance guest comfort while optimizing environmental performance in Okinawa’s humid subtropical climate.

‘Informed by the site’s remarkable topography, the design is a continuation of ZHA’s ongoing research of composition and materiality that is driven by explorations of landscape formations evident in nature. The stepped canopies of the hotel gently transition from the unique geology of the shoreline to the dense vegetation of the rain forest—giving uninterrupted views of the ocean and a deep connection to the surrounding environment, while providing a sense of privacy that enriches user experience and charts a journey through the varied natural ecosystems of the region,’ ZHA project director Ludovico Lombardi explains.

all images by Negativ

NOT A HOTEL frames hospitality through landscape and ecology

Planned on a 25,322-square-meter plot, the hotel occupies a narrow threshold where white sand beaches meet steep forested terrain. The architecture is integrated into the site to reduce environmental disturbance and preserve the coastal and marine ecosystems. Each villa is oriented to secure uninterrupted ocean views and privacy, while shared facilities are distributed across stepped terraces that follow the natural contours of the shoreline.

The design is shaped by Okinawa’s distinctive geology, formed from Ryukyu limestone composed of Pleistocene coral reef sedimentary layers deposited over 400,000 years ago. This terrain, together with the humid microclimate of the island, sustains a dense subtropical rainforest along the coast. Responding to stringent guidelines set by the island’s forestry commission, marine conservationists, and local environmental authorities, ZHA’s architecture ‘floats’ above the landscape at the boundary between forest and beach, significantly reducing its footprint across both ecosystems and maintaining site biodiversity.

A twelve-month study of daily solar exposure informed the hotel’s distinctive canopies, which extend from the structure to form sheltered terraces cascading toward the shoreline. These deep overhangs reinterpret the pronounced eaves found in Okinawa’s traditional vernacular architecture, providing shaded outdoor circulation and living spaces while mitigating heat gain and glare.

a continuation of the existing rock formations

local materials and monsoon-responsive design

Local craft and material traditions are embedded throughout the project. Okinawa pine, limestone from nearby quarries, and ceramics produced in regional workshops reinforce the hotel’s connection to place while continuing the island’s long-standing culture of craftsmanship. Natural ventilation is prioritized across communal spaces, guest rooms, suites, and villas, harnessing the prevailing Kāchibē winds that blow inland from the ocean during the summer months.

Located within the Pacific Ocean’s East Monsoon system, the hotel has been engineered to respond to extreme climatic conditions. All facilities are elevated at least 6.5 meters above the high-water line to protect against storm surges, while the structure is designed to withstand intense winds, heavy precipitation, and seismic activity associated with Okinawa’s coastal environment.

Construction and long-term operation aim to minimize ecological impact through modular prefabricated systems. The hotel’s facade and structural components are finished with a pale tone and texture that echo the island’s coral beaches, while precision-engineered concrete elements incorporate recycled aggregates sourced from redundant local structures, reflecting a circular approach to material use.

the hotel is articulated as a series of stepped horizontal planes

datasets translated into digital models guide the orientation, spatial sequencing, and envelope design of the building

the architecture is integrated into the site to reduce environmental disturbance

local craft and material traditions are embedded throughout the project

project info:

name: vertex by NOT A HOTEL, Okinawa

architect: Zaha Hadid Architects | @zahahadidarchitects

location: Okinawa, Japan

client: NOT A HOTEL Co., Ltd. | @notahotel_official 

ZHA principal: Patrik Schumacher

ZHA project director: Ludovico Lombardi

local architect: Kume Sekkei

structural engineer: Kume Sekkei

MEP engineer: Kume Sekkei

interior design: Zaha Hadid Architects

renders: Negativ | @negativ_va

video: NAH

The post zaha hadid architects shapes stepped coastal retreat for NOT A HOTEL’s vertex line in japan appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

Banksy’s Walled Off Hotel reopens in Bethlehem, restoring access to what it calls ‘the worst view in the world’, a direct confrontation with the concrete separation wall. The three-star hotel, conceived as a functioning artwork and social platform, had closed its doors on October 7th, 2023, citing ‘major developments in the region.’ Its reopening comes after more than two years of suspension, marking a cautious return during an uneasy ceasefire period in which political uncertainty persists despite a reduction in large-scale hostilities.

The hotel announced its closure via Instagram, stating that it would not take reservations ‘for the time being,’ and would post updates as the ‘situation evolves.’ The shutdown followed the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel and the subsequent Israeli military response, a period that escalated into a regional war and a severe humanitarian crisis in Gaza, with widespread displacement, destruction, and tens of thousands of civilian deaths. 

all images courtesy of Walled Off Hotel | image via @walledoffhotel

Walled Off Hotel is positioned against the wall

Opened in 2017, the hotel conceived by the anonymous street artist sits just 500 meters from the checkpoint to Jerusalem and about a mile from Bethlehem’s center. Banksy chose the location, as the hotel itself states, because of Bethlehem’s ‘shortage of rooms… famous since biblical times,’ but also because of its proximity to the wall, a structure over 700 kilometers long built by the Israeli government, considered by critics an instrument of apartheid and by supporters a security measure. The position of the hotel ensures that every stay is inseparable from the realities of the site: tear gas, watchtowers, unreliable utilities, and the constant presence of surveillance.

The Walled Off Hotel frames hospitality as a cultural and political device. ‘We believe a hotel can be more than just a place to rest your head,’ reads its manifesto, describing the building as ‘a three-story fight against fanaticism – with breakfast included.’ Banksy often references Eleanor Roosevelt’s definition of art as something that should ‘comfort the disturbed, and disturb the comfortable,’ a line adopted as the hotel’s unofficial motto.

Banksy’s Walled Off Hotel reopens in Bethlehem | image via @walledoffhotel

living with art under surveillance in Bethlehem

Guests quite literally sleep inside a work of art. Rooms have been customized by Banksy, Sami Musa, and Dominique Petrin, with more artists planned. Accommodation ranges from budget bunk beds outfitted with surplus items from an Israeli military barracks to an opulent suite featuring a plunge bath, original artworks, a library, a home cinema, a roof garden, and a water feature made from a bullet-riddled water tank. Across all categories, the view remains the same, with openings framing graffiti-covered concrete, visible from nearly every window and, in some cases, within sight of army watchtowers.

Beyond the rooms, the hotel operates as a cultural complex. The piano bar, styled as a colonial outpost referencing Britain’s 1917 takeover of Palestine, displays vandalised oil paintings and sculptures ‘choking on tear gas fumes,’ while serving tea, scones, and the Walled Off Salad. The gallery functions as the largest permanent platform for Palestinian artists in Palestine, with local curators organising rotating exhibitions that include works by figures such as Suliman Mansour and Nabil Anani. A museum dedicated to the biography of the wall combines audio-visual installations, historical narratives, and artefacts, including a bullet-damaged camera from the Oscar-nominated documentary Five Broken Cameras.

The reopening reasserts the hotel’s original premise: that tourism, art, and everyday routines can draw attention to political reality. As the hotel itself puts it, it offers ‘nothing but the sight of a giant concrete wall from every room.’ 

restoring access to what the hotel calls ‘the worst view in the world’

the Walled Off Hotel frames hospitality as a cultural and political device

guests quite literally sleep inside a work of art

rooms have been customized by Banksy, Sami Musa, and Dominique Petrin

original artworks complete the rooms

accommodation ranges from budget bunk beds to an opulent suite

the gallery functions as the largest permanent platform for Palestinian artists in Palestine

the hotel operates as a cultural complex

a museum dedicated to the biography of the wall

the reopening reasserts that tourism, art, and everyday routines can draw attention to political reality

project info:

name: The Walled Off Hotel | @walledoffhotel

artist / founder: Banksy | @banksy

location: Bethlehem, Palestine (West Bank)

The post banksy’s ‘walled off hotel’ reopens in bethlehem after two-year closure appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

Situated at the corner of Broadway & 28th street, on the outskirts of Manhattan‘s Flower District, the Ritz-Carlton New York, NoMad takes on a fresh, more relaxed approach to luxury hospitality. Rising 150 meters (500 feet) above New York’s streets, the hotel has been developed by Flag Luxury Group in close collaboration with Rafael Viñoly, while design studios such as Rockwell Group, Lázaro Rosa-Violán Studio, Martin Brudnizki, and SUSURRUS International have all contributed to its interior spaces. Together, they deliver a bold, contemporary design that honors the hotel’s setting while offering a warm, welcoming space for guests and the local community alike. 

‘It’s very much a community space and that was essential to us from the start,’ Dayssi Olarte de Kanavos, president and COO of Flag Luxury Group explains. ‘We wanted the hotel to genuinely belong to the neighborhood, not to be a place with velvet ropes or an attitude of exclusivity. Public spaces are called public for a reason, and I don’t believe in the era of “cool” hotels and velvet ropes that keep people out. Our goal was always to be welcoming to both guests and locals, and I love that the lobby bar has quietly become the neighborhood’s best-kept secret.’ 

The Ritz-Carlton New York, NoMad exterior, image by Iris and Light

FLAG LUXURY GROUP AND RAFAEL VIÑOLY’S COLLABORATION

The Ritz-Carlton New York, NoMad occupies a 50-story-high tower designed by architect Rafael Viñoly, whose work began with the constraints of a compact footprint. Completed in the summer of 2022, the hotel comprises 219 guestrooms, 31 suites, and 16 one and two-bedroom penthouse residences alongside six unique food and beverage destinations and the signature Ritz-Carlton Spa & Fitness Center. The plans grew through an interior-first process to meet the demands of a vertical hotel. Dayssi Olarte de Kanavos recalls long working sessions with the now-late architect focused on precisely carving out each area in response to the needs of its program. ‘It was the only hotel he built, and he was a big Ritz-Carlton fan,’ she says. ‘I did a competition with five different top architects, and he was the only one that just wanted to work with me all the time. I had maybe one or two meetings with the other studios, but he was reaching out every day to know more about my vision and what I wanted to achieve. When he finally presented his plan, it was the one that made the most sense.’

Olarte de Kanavos and Viñoly worked in close collaboration to develop a well thought out architectural scheme that balanced between a highly luxurious experience for the guests and a financially viable operation. ‘Some of the other architects wanted to make a building from the outside in and would sacrifice on the number of rooms, and I couldn’t do that because we had such a small plot of land. I had to have an architect that could build it from the inside out because there was no way that we could fit this program and make it economically viable without that. There’s always that push and pull between what you’re dreaming in your head and then the reality of how you are going to pay for it.’

lobby area, image by The Ritz-Carlton New York, NoMad

Interiors inspired by the neighboring Flower District

Alongside Rafael Viñoly Architects, firms including Rockwell Group, Lázaro Rosa-Violán Studio, Martin Brudnizki, SUSURRUS International have each developed parts of the hotel’s interior, including the two restaurants, Zaytinya and the Bazaar by José Andrés, as well as the Lobby Lounge and Nubeluz, the hotel’s rooftop bar offering sweeping 270-degree views across Manhattan. Along the ground floor, the material palette softens the transitions between the outside world and the lobby. Floral references echoing the neighboring flower district appear through texture and line, creating a gentle connection to the district without leaning on literal motifs. 

Guestrooms and suites continue on this approach with neutral palettes and furniture pieces selected to lend a more domestic atmosphere that mimics a Manhattan penthouse. Almost everything in the hotel has been custom-built particularly for this location, embodying Olarte de Kanavos’ idea of what true luxury is. ‘To me, luxury is knowing that things have been handcrafted, that things have been bespoke, that they have been especially chosen, in the selection of the fabrics, the materials.. Almost everything in this hotel is custom, very few things are not. It’s something that was really made specifically for here, you’re not going to see my minibar anywhere in the world. It’s not a copy of anything, we didn’t buy it the way it was and then wrapped it different. It was totally designed and created just for this property.’

The Ritz-Carlton New York, NoMad floral cart, image by BFA

taking the stuffiness out of service

The Ritz-Carlton New York, NoMad takes shape within a steadily growing district that still maintains its independent shops and small businesses. Olarte de Kanavos recognized this balance early and envisioned a hotel that would contribute to neighborhood life while serving guests with a high level of attention. ‘It’s an unusual neighborhood, dotted with business and residential. Most neighborhoods in New York are either or, so to have a hotel in a neighborhood that is alive 24-7 is pretty incredible. We just felt that the new epicenter of New York was moving south, and that NoMad was going to be the new epicenter.’ Her approach reflects a desire for convivial luxury and inclusivity, expressed in her view that the neighbourhood not become all luxury, but instead ‘should still be a little bit of everything.’ This awareness extends to the hotel’s social environments, which are open to both guests and locals alike, supported by food and beverage concepts from Chef José Andrés that activate the property from the street-level to the rooftop.

Olarte de Kanavos often describes this property as ‘the next generation Ritz-Carlton,’ shaped for a younger clientele who seeks experiences that feel bespoke and vibrant. She observes that people today prefer an atmosphere with intimacy and personality, where the design is intentional and the service is warm. ‘I was just in a hotel uptown for lunch today and it very much felt like that same old-fashioned thing where you walk in and the front desk is like the cathedral, and then you sit in the lobby bar and everybody’s whispering, and the music feels like you’re in an airport lounge. That was not what we wanted here. We wanted to bring in elements of surprise and delight, to make the experience fun by discovering something a little bit different at every corner.’ Alongside a bespoke experience, luxury for her translates to great service, delivered with a smile. ‘You need to take the stuffiness out of the service, that over-formality. I think that people can still deliver great service without it being so hyper formal, and it should be fun.’

lobby seating, image by Björn Wallander

a CONVERSATION with Dayssi Olarte de Kanavos

designboom (DB): How did you get into the hospitality business?

Dayssi Olarte de Kanavos (DOK): I grew up around hospitality, I had an uncle who had a small hotel in Bogotá and my mother had restaurants. I decided to pursue that and I went the Cornell University Hotel School, and shortly after being in the hotel school, I realized I didn’t want to have anything to do with managing hotels. I realized that my interest was more about creating the hotels and that I wanted to become that person and start developing hotels. We had a class on Fridays and it was called Cookies with Clark. Clark was the dean of the hotel school and he would have speakers from all over the world that were graduates from the hotel school, and they would tell us what they did, what they’re doing now, how they got there.

One session was about a hotel developer that was developing these properties in Hawaii. He would show this barren piece of land with nothing on it, and then these incredible, beautiful hotels that he was building and how he was really creating them for the joy of his customers. That just hooked me and I realized that this is what I want to do. I want to build the hotels and other people are going to manage them, but I want to be a part of that creative process. Ever since then I’ve really focused on that part of the business, the real estate side, but also the guest experience, the architecture, the interior design, the whole experience and how it touches the customer. After graduation I worked in real estate to learn about New York real estate and then I got my degree at NYU in the real estate development master’s program, and shortly thereafter, I met my husband and we became partners. And the rest is history.

lobby bar, image by Björn Wallander

DB: Can you tell me more about how you started developing Flag Luxury Group’s property portfolio?

DOK: One of the first properties we did was the Regent Hotel downtown that then became the Cipriani Wall Street Hotel, and then it became residences. We did that as a fee developer, and while we were doing that, we were fortunate enough to get what they call the geographic exclusive from Ritz-Carlton to develop hotels in Miami. So once we had that, then we were able to open up hotels there.

So we did the Ritz-Carlton in Coconut Grove, the Ritz-Carlton in South Beach, and the Ritz-Carlton in Jupiter. And Jupiter was spa and single family homes, it wasn’t actually a hotel, but it was Ritz-Carlton branded.

Then we gave the rights to some of the other people that built other Ritz-Carltons in Miami. And since then, we purchased the One Bal Harbour and turned that into the Ritz-Carlton. We also own the adjacent Sagamore Hotel, which we are in the process of converting into an all-suite expansion of the existing The Ritz-Carlton, South Beach Hotel. This is our sixth Ritz-Carlton. We also have hotels in Orlando, and we’re looking to build other things here in New York.

Zaytinya, image by Jason Varney

DB: How did you decide to invest in this location? How did you make it into a destination in the area? What was the concept behind it?

DOK: As a lifelong New Yorker, and especially interested in real estate, I was paying attention to how the city was growing, and at a certain point in time, downtown became the magnet for everything. Everybody wanted to go there, the real estate started becoming much more expensive there than even on the Upper East Side that usually was where all the most expensive real estate was. You could feel that pull of New York going south and all the young people wanting to live south, below 34th Street.

We realized that the opportunity to build a hotel downtown where everybody really wanted to be was very low because in SoHo and West Village, they have height restrictions and it’s not easy to try to get a big hotel down there. All of a sudden, because all those neighborhoods became so expensive, people started discovering this neighborhood and Madison Square Park. And then the NoMad Hotel opened, which is now The Ned, and between the owner of that hotel and Leslie Spira Lopez, who owns a lot of buildings here, they coined the name NoMad.

And we thought, wow, this neighborhood is on the verge. We started looking at the records and sure enough, a lot of people were pulling permits for luxury condominiums. But already this is dotted with what they call like Silicon Alley, a lot of these high tech companies have businesses here.

Zaytinya Bar, image by Björn Wallander

DOK (continued): So it’s an unusual neighborhood where you have it dotted with business and residential. Most neighborhoods in New York are either or. So to have a hotel in a neighborhood that is alive 24-7 is pretty incredible and we just felt that the new epicenter of New York is moving south and that NoMad was going to be the new epicenter. As soon as we bought the land, we accelerated that happening because people knew we were going to do a Ritz. So the neighborhood just became so much more dynamic.

And it had an impact right away, even though it took us eight years from the time we bought it to the time we opened. But just getting through the entitlements and everything else, people started investing more in the neighborhood.

As soon as we took down all the scaffolding from our building, it changed the whole traffic pattern because nobody used to walk down Broadway ever. But people were excited, they knew what was coming, and as soon as we took down our scaffolding, people stopped walking down Fifth, they stopped walking down Madison, and now they all walk down Broadway, and it just created this funnel of energy of people. And it’s really transformative for the neighborhood to have a Ritz-Carlton here.

Zaytinya, image by Jason Varney

DB: I also think that with all the amenities, the restaurants and the rooftop bar, it creates some kind of place for the community as well, for the people that are part of the city.

DOK: Yes, it’s very much used by the community, and that was something that was always really important to us. We wanted to make sure that we were part of the community. When you’re building a hotel, there’s a whole plan called the public spaces, because they’re meant to be public. It’s not meant to be a velvet rope that you can’t get in or anything. The days of those velvet ropes and those ‘cool’ hotels, I don’t believe in that at all.

I believe in just being welcoming to all of our guests and our neighbors. I have to say the lobby bar, is like the neighborhood’s best kept secret. They don’t tell anybody because they don’t want anybody to know, but those are all locals.

Master Bedroom, image by The Ritz-Carlton New York, NoMad

DB: What I find very interesting is that this neighborhood is not what we’d generally call 100% luxurious. How did you approach developing a Ritz here?

DOK: We’ve pioneered neighborhoods before. For example, when we opened up the Ritz-Carlton in South Beach, that was an area that was kind of dangerous and kind of shifty. People really in the luxury world weren’t going there, there were no luxury hotels.

When you have a Ritz-Carlton, it kind of gives the neighborhood a stamp of approval, that it’s okay to be there. I feel like part of the joy of visiting New York is also witnessing some of the scrappiness, right? That’s just kind of a part of what it is.

I don’t expect that the neighborhood will become all luxury one day, it shouldn’t, it should still be a little bit of everything.

Madison Suite Bathroom, image by Björn Wallander

DOK (continued): Given that our target was the younger customer for Ritz-Carlton, we knew very specifically who we were targeting, and Ritz-Carlton’s customers have been getting younger and younger. The younger they were getting, they started going to boutique hotels or other hotels and not using the traditional Ritz-Carlton uptown.

Because they don’t want to be uptown anymore. It’s a beautiful hotel, they’ve got a great restaurant and everything, but they just don’t want to be in that location. So we knew that if we targeted the younger customer, the younger customer’s more accepting of being in a very mixed neighborhood. They don’t need it to be all, you know, disinfected and antiseptic.

And they are going to pioneering areas for clubs and bars and things like that anyway, so we felt that our customer would really love it. And what’s incredible here is that we’re literally 10 minutes away from almost anything.

Ritz-Carlton Suite living area, image by The Ritz-Carlton New York, NoMad

DB: I feel the brand is somehow associated with a more established, classic luxury idea, and it’s very interesting to see this more fresh approach.

DOK: Yeah, because this is really the next generation Ritz-Carlton, this is how people see luxury today. Younger customers really want an experience that feels bespoke, and not to feel like they’re in such a giant building that has so much that you’re lost in it. They want a sense of intimacy, they want to be welcomed, they want it to be design-forward, and the design has to be interesting, it’s got to be vibrant.

They want to feel the energy from the restaurants, from the bars, you know, to feel like there’s something going on, not that you walked into a mausoleum.

I was just in a hotel uptown for lunch today and it very much felt like that same old-fashioned thing where you walk in and the front desk is like the cathedral, and then you sit in the lobby bar and everybody’s whispering, and the music is just not vibing. You feel like you’re in an airport lounge.

That was not what we wanted here. We wanted to bring in elements of surprise and delight, to make the experience fun by discovering something little bit different at every corner. We worked with five different interior designers here to create all of these fun, different, unique experiences.

Liberty Club Suite living area, image by The Ritz-Carlton New York, NoMad

DB: I wanted to ask you about the architecture. The building was done by Rafael Viñoly, right?

DOK: Yes, it was the only hotel he built, and he was a big Ritz-Carlton fan. He was so proud to get this job and we actually spent so many hours together, he would draw on his computer or a sketch pad and we would talk it through the whole time. I did a contest where I had five different top architects and I paid them for it so they would show me substantive work.

He was the one that just wanted to work with me all the time, the other other architects, maybe we had one or two meetings, but every day he was like, ‘let’s sit and talk more, I want to know what your vision is, I want to know what you want, do you like the rooms like this?’ We just sat there and talked so much, and when he finally presented his plan, it was the one that made the most sense. That’s how we picked him and it was really exciting, we were very close.

Ritz-Carlton Suite bathroom, image by The Ritz-Carlton New York, Nomad

DB: How was your collaboration? How much were you involved during the process?

DOK: In every detail. I mean, me and Rafael basically made this building. And, you know, as an architect, especially a contemporary architect, the architecture is everything.

They want to make a building from the outside in, and what I explained to all the architects was that I can’t do that because I have such a small plot of land. It’s a very little, tiny, tiny site.

It’s not very big for everything that we have to fit in here, which is a lot of program. And we fought like literally for every square foot. Everything really had to be so carefully thought out, we couldn’t miss one square foot. So I had to have an architect that could build it from the inside out. And that’s really important. Because there was no way that we could fit this program and make it economically viable without that.

And with some of the other architects, they would sacrifice on the number of rooms or this or that. And then it just wasn’t going to pencil for us, financially. So there’s always that push and pull between the finances, between what you’re dreaming in your head and, you know, what you want, and then the reality of how are you going to pay for it.

And because I went to an undergraduate business school, I can think I’m with both sides at the same time and try to make it match without sacrificing the experience. It’s a lot more work for my team because we have to value engineer, everything, things that nobody sees, and we want the guests to have the most luxurious experience. But it is a lot of work to make that happen.

The Bazaar restaurant, image by Björn Wallander

DB: I think that’s one of the reasons why it stands out in such a competitive landscape like New York, too, is because it’s very guest-forward. A lot of the experiences are very guest-centered and guest-forward.

DOK: People are looking for that. I mean, you look at all the boutique hotels and how well they do and how much people identify with the personality of that hotel or whether it’s the designer or the owner that has a really specific point of view.

And this hotel is the kind of place where you’re kind of getting the best of both worlds. You’re getting an owner that understands and is really passionate about what the owner wants to deliver to the guest with the very best operator in the world, in the luxury world today. It’s a really unique experience because a lot of times the boutique hotels can’t offer that kind of thing. They can’t offer also the same kind of program, they don’t have the same kind of spa that we have or room service for the amount of hours that we have room service.

A lot of them don’t even have room service, right? We’re offering a full-service hotel, but with this bespoke boutique experience.

The Bazaar, image by Björn Wallander

DB: How would you define the experience of a luxurious place today? Like what are the key elements that compose this experience?

DOK: Luxury as a term can be really overused, right? And it can mean a lot of things to a lot of people, but what it means to me is knowing that things have been handcrafted, that things have been bespoke, that they have been especially chosen, in the selection of the fabrics, the materials.

Almost everything in this hotel is custom, very few things are not. It’s something that was really made specifically here, you’re not going to see my minibar anywhere in the world. It’s not a copy of anything, we didn’t buy it the way it was and then wrapped it different. It was totally designed and created just for this property.

I think that first has to do with craftsmanship, and with attention to detail in all of the physical spaces, and then, of course, luxury is an experience. What people want is they want service, and they want service with a smile. They want people to be generous. They want people to be anticipatory. And, of course, this is what Ritz-Carlton delivers so beautifully on. The experience is everything.

Nubeluz, image by Björn Wallander

DOK (continued): So how can we bring it all together, which is, have a friendly place to check in but know that you have access to a beautiful living room, knowing that you have access to all these extra bars and that we have two restaurants and we’ve got an incredible chef in-house, Chef Jose Andres that is also doing all the room service and all of the amenities. He’s really baking his own bread you know, everything is from scratch down there. His attention to detail is incredible.

And that experience, knowing that everything really does have a person behind it and people really care about what they’re delivering, that is what is bringing the experience to life.

For the younger customer, I think it’s about not having to be in a stuffy room with a white tablecloth to have a caviar. You can have your jeans, have a nice shirt, but you don’t have to wear a blazer and you can do caviar bumps upstairs. That’s now luxury, right? Luxury is being able to have your caviar and a bottle of champagne, spend $10,000 if you want to with your friends, but wearing jeans, not having to wear a jacket and a suit and all of this. It doesn’t feel luxurious anymore to the younger customer.

They still look smart and they still look elegant, just because you’re casual doesn’t mean you don’t look good, nobody here looks trashy or anything, but I think it’s really important when you understand the psyche of your customer.

the bar at Nubeluz, image by Björn Wallander

DB: It all feels more like ‘inclusive luxury’, where you factor a lot more elements in rather than just appearing expensive or unattainable.

DOK: The shift is really about including more, yes. You need to take the stuffiness out of the service, that over-formality.

DB: A lot of times you go to these new design hotels and they are very well designed, but the service is not there anymore. Even for super simple things, like slippers in the room, that you have to call and ask for. It’s very simple things that make a difference in the end.

Bar Seating, image by Björn Wallander

DOK: Many times the boutique design hotels, they don’t understand what the customer really needs, right? Some things are just really basic that Ritz Carlton knows so well.

Like when we design a bathroom, for example, all the dimensions have to match what Ritz Carlton expects, so they give us they give us very specific guidelines like we have to have a certain number of drawers, a certain amount of hanging space, a certain amount of space for cosmetics, lighting, all of these things have to be a part of your design.

You can’t just design any room and say, oh, Ritz Carlton’s gonna put their name on it. That is a really beautiful thing because they know the science of that room design of how it needs to service the customer and how the customer has to have everything in its place. It’s a science and people that are used to a luxury hotel know that they’re still gonna find everything here even if we are catering to a younger customer, but we do get the older customer too.

I think that people can still deliver great service without it being so hyper formal, and it should be fun.

project info:

name: Ritz-Carlton New York, NoMad | @ritzcarltonnewyorknomad

architect: Rafael Viñoly Architects | @rva_ny

design teams: Rockwell Group, Lázaro Rosa-Violán Studio, Martin Brudnizki, SUSURRUS International

developer: Flag Luxury Group | @flagluxury
location: 25 W 28th St, New York, NY 10001

photography: © Björn Wallander, Jason Varney, Iris and Light, BFA ,The Ritz-Carlton New York, Nomad

The post ‘I don’t believe in velvet ropes’: inside the ritz-carlton new york, NoMad’s convivial luxury appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

At Il Bottaccio, the Relais & Châteaux located between the Apuan Alps and the Versilian coast, the work of Italian painter Sossio forms an exhibition integrated throughout the property, turning the hotel into a cohesive and continuous artistic environment. The collection sits effortlessly amid the property’s historical architecture. Each suite becomes a micro-installation in which contemporary chromatic fields converse with eighteenth-century stone, antique wood, and filtered Tuscan daylight. The project places the Sossio Art Collection across corridors, salons, private suites, and transitional spaces, creating a steady visual presence that accompanies guests through the building’s stone architecture and historic interiors.

Sossio’s career began in Naples between 1968 and 1972 during a formative period for Italian art, shaped by direct contact with figures of the New Neapolitan School such as Domenico Spinosa, Armando De Stefano, and Gianni Pisani. Their influence established the foundations of his gestural and material approach, later expanded through his collaboration with Elio D’Anna and the philosophical framework of the ‘Creative Universe,’ which shifted his practice toward introspection and metaphysical themes.

all images courtesy of Sossio and Il Bottaccio

Il Bottaccio Becomes Immersive Setting for Sossio’s Evolving Art

At Il Bottaccio, the Italian painter’s artistic evolution is conveyed through a placement strategy that treats the entire property as a continuous setting. Contemporary surfaces, gestures, and color fields interact with eighteenth-century stone, antique wood, and natural Tuscan light, producing a consistent dialogue. Suites function as small installations where the works integrate into the existing atmosphere, allowing guests to experience the art as part of their surroundings. The exhibition reflects Tuscany’s long-standing relationship with heritage and experimentation, presenting an environment where hospitality and artistic practice coexist. Visitors engage with the works as temporary inhabitants of a space shaped by the interaction between architecture, landscape, and Sossio’s painting.

Sossio’s paintings are integrated throughout the interiors of Il Bottaccio

the hotel becomes a continuous exhibition space for the Sossio Art Collection

works appear across corridors, salons, suites, and transitional areas

art accompanies guests through stone architecture and historic rooms

the exhibition creates a unified visual presence throughout the property

at Il Bottaccio, the exhibition reflects the evolution of the artist’s material and thematic focus

contemporary gestures meet eighteenth-century stone and antique wood

natural Tuscan light becomes part of the visual dialogue with the artworks

suites function as intimate installations where paintings merge with the setting

each room presents a different intersection of architecture and artistic expression

color fields and textures interact with the building’s layered materiality

the exhibition places heritage and contemporary experimentation in conversation

the project highlights the coexistence of hospitality and artistic practice

project info:

name: Sossio x Il Bottaccio
designer: Sossio | @sossio.art

hotel: Il Bottaccio | @ilbottaccio

location: Tuscany, Italy

designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: christina vergopoulou | designboom

The post italian painter’s works transform il bottaccio luxury hotel into integrated living gallery appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

Luster Publishing releases Vintage Motels: America’s Most Iconic Motels, Beautifully Restored, a new book by Ellie Seymour that takes readers on a nostalgic road trip across the United States. Seymour documents 40 mid-century motels, once symbols of freedom, anonymity, and the golden age of American car travel, revamped into contemporary boutique hotels while preserving the character of the past.

The Pearl in Florida, the Skyview in California, Hotel Lucine in Texas, and The Dive in Nevada are among the 40 motels presented. Whether it’s through restored neon signs glowing once more at sunset or minimalist reimaginings that reinterpret classic Americana, these projects show how design celebrates a design era when every roadside lodge was a small architectural experiment, shaped by the optimism of postwar America.

Ace Hotel & Swim Club, Palm Springs, California | © Stephen Kent Johnson / OTTO

the book celebrates the Iconic Motels of a bygone era

The story of America’s motels begins, as travel journalist Ellie Seymour reminds readers, exactly a century ago in 1925, when architect Arthur Heineman opened the Milestone Mo-Tel in San Luis Obispo, California. The term ‘motel’ itself was born out of necessity, as ‘Milestone Motor Hotel’ simply didn’t fit on the rooftop sign. Offering private garages and hot showers, it catered to the rise of automobile tourism and set the blueprint for a phenomenon that would flourish after World War II.

The premise of the book was sparked by a passage from Bill Bryson’s Notes from a Big Country (1998), in which the author declares, ‘I love everything about motels. I can’t help myself. I still get excited every time I slip a key into a motel room door and fling it open.’ For Seymour, this sentiment opened the door to a deeper fascination with America’s roadside culture. Growing up in England, her understanding of motels came from cinematic archetypes, Psycho, Thelma & Louise, Pulp Fiction, and Schitt’s Creek, which portrayed them as both seedy and strangely alluring. But her own first road trip across California, Nevada, and Arizona shifted that perception entirely.

Blue Swallow Motel, Tucumcari, New Mexico © courtesy of Blue Swallow Motel

design, nostalgia, and the spirit of the open road

By the 1960s, over 60,000 motels lined American highways, each distinguished by its own signage, architecture, and character. Yet, as the Interstate Highway System expanded and air travel became accessible, many of these independent motels fell into decline, abandoned, demolished, or left to crumble into noir backdrops for crime and melancholy.

Seymour’s book captures the motels’ revival, showing how a new generation of owners, architects, and designers is restoring mid-century motels across the country. Some remain time capsules, keeping their kidney-shaped pools, wood-panelled interiors, and retro furniture intact. Across 256 pages, Vintage Motels brings together storytelling, archival materials, and contemporary photography to document this shift from decay to rediscovery. Each motel is featured across four to six pages, accompanied by the history of its original construction and the creative strategies behind its rebirth.

Cuyama Buckhorn, New Cuyama, California © courtesy of Cuyama Buckhorn

Skyview, California © courtesy of Nomada Hotel Group

The Pearl, San Diego, California © courtesy of The Pearl

Trixie Motel, Palm Springs, California © courtesy of Trixie Motel

Madonna Inn highway sign © courtesy of Madonna Inn

Madonna Inn-steakhouse ©courtesy of Madonna Inn

The Dive, Nashville © Ben Fitchett

Ojai Rancho Inn © Yoshihiro Makino

Hotel Lucine © Johanna Andruchovici

Vintage Motels: America’s Most Iconic Motels, Beautifully Restored by Ellie Seymour

project info:

name: Vintage Motels: America’s Most Iconic Motels, Beautifully Restored

author: Ellie Seymour | @ellieseymourwriter

publisher: Luster | @lusterbooks

design: doublebill.design | @doublebill.design

The post neon signs and retro rooms: ellie seymour’s book maps mid-century motels across the US appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

UK company Corian® Design is giving hospitality design worldwide a solid reshape with Corian® Solid Surface, a material engineered for limitless creativity and durability. From stylish hotel lobbies to boutique retreats and spas in Europe, architects are using its thermoformable properties to create sculptural reception desks, glowing feature walls, and fluid spa interiors. As hotels compete to offer immersive experiences, Corian® Solid Surface is emerging as the material of choice for designers looking to merge aesthetics, function, and sustainability.

architects and designers around the world are pushing the boundaries of modern design, and Corian® Solid Surface is being bent, curved, and twisted to help them realize their boldest visions | all images courtesy of Corian® Design

Enhancing Mood through Materiality

Corian® Solid Surface by Corian® Design can be cut, curved, and thermoformed into virtually any shape, allowing designers to sculpt walls into waves, carve out flowing bar counters, or wrap columns in virtually seamless curves. Backlit panels can be perforated with custom patterns, casting dramatic shadows that change throughout the day. The material’s versatility lets architects tell a story through spatial design, transforming an ordinary hotel corridor into a luminous, gallery-like passage or shaping a reception area that feels both monumental and welcoming.

There is no doubt that hospitality spaces rely on atmosphere, and Corian® Solid Surface helps set the tone from the moment guests arrive. Its smooth, continuous finish creates surfaces that feel tactile yet refined, whether framing a tranquil spa shower in soft white or forming a bar counter in bold, stone-inspired textures. Light interacts beautifully with the material where edges can glow softly for a serene mood, or panels can be illuminated from within to create energy and drama in nightlife venues.

Corian® Solid Surface can be employed to truly exclaim a space

Corian®’s endless customization

For hotels seeking distinctive branding, Corian® Solid Surface offers endless customization, allowing designers to engrave logos, cut intricate patterns, or fabricate bespoke furniture pieces that match the overall concept. In boutique properties, this might mean a reception desk shaped like a sweeping ribbon; in coastal resorts, undulating wall panels echo the movement of waves. The material adapts to local design narratives while maintaining a cohesive, polished aesthetic across all touchpoints.

Behind its sculptural beauty lies technical performance. Corian® Solid Surface is nonporous and virtually seamless, leaving no gaps for moisture or bacteria to infiltrate, crucial for spa areas, bathrooms, and foodservice zones. It resists stains and scratches, tolerates heavy use in busy lobbies or restaurants, and can be repaired on-site if damaged, extending its lifespan. Certifications such as GREENGUARD Gold and Living Building Challenge Red List Free also make it a material aligned with sustainable building standards.

Corian®’s versatility can complement and enhance bold designs with backlighting, parametric walls, and other dynamic touchpoints

Corian^® Solid Surface helps architects push design trends to their fullest expression

Corian® offers a palette of colours and aesthetics, and an array of textures with patterns

with its richness, the material mimics materials like aged concrete and natural stone to bring any design concept to striking fruition

from humid spa environments to bar tops and restaurant counters to elevator corridors, Corian® Solid Surface heightens hospitality design

project info:

name: Corian® Solid Surface

company: Corian® Design | @coriandesign

The post corian® solid surface shapes, curves and backlights hotels from spas to sculptural walls appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

At the entrance of Dubai’s Jumeirah Marsa Al Arab hotel, two large-scale ceramic walls by Studio RAP define the spatial experience of arrival. Titled Blue Voyage, the installation explores the potential of 3D printed ceramics in architectural surfaces, combining computational design with material precision.

Positioned on either side of the main lobby entrance, the walls measure six meters in height and nine meters in length, creating a sculptural threshold between the exterior and interior. The project draws from the movement of the nearby Gulf, translating the dynamics of water into a series of fluid, wave-like forms. Each surface is composed of thousands of flowing lines that shift in density and depth, producing a tactile gradient that interacts with natural and artificial light throughout the day.

Dubai’s Jumeirah Marsa Al Arab hotel exterior | all images by Riccardo De Vecchi unless stated otherwise

900 Unique 3D Printed Ceramic Tiles shape the installation

In total, around 900 unique ceramic tiles were designed, generated parametrically, and 3D printed at Studio RAP’s facility in Rotterdam. The production process ensured precision in fit and consistency in surface quality while allowing variation across each module. The installation’s corner tiles were developed to wrap the patterns seamlessly, emphasizing continuity and minimizing visual interruption.

Blue Voyage represents one of the largest 3D printed ceramic architectural installations completed to date. The project continues the studio’s exploration of how computational tools and digital fabrication can extend the expressive and technical possibilities of ceramics within contemporary architecture.

two 3D printed ceramic walls by Studio RAP define the entrance of Jumeirah Marsa Al Arab in Dubai

the installation, titled Blue Voyage, explores the architectural potential of 3D printed ceramics

ach wall measures six meters high and nine meters long

positioned on either side of the main lobby, the walls frame the hotel’s entry sequence

thousands of flowing lines create a sense of motion across the ceramic surface

the density and depth of the lines shift to form a tactile gradient

around 900 unique tiles make up the complete installation

project info:

name: Blue Voyage
architect: Studio RAP | @studio.rap

location: Jumeirah Marsa Al Arab, Dubai (UAE)

client: Dubai Holding Real Estate

architect (main building): Killa Design

3D ceramic printing: Studio RAP

firing and glazing: Royal Tichelaar

photographer: Studio RAP, Riccardo De Vecchi | @riccardodevecchi.photo

designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: christina vergopoulou | designboom

The post two 3D printed ceramic walls by studio RAP rise like sculpted waves at dubai hotel’s entrance appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

NOT A HOTEL announces its latest iteration for the Japanese island of Yakushima, this time with architecture by Jean Nouvel. The lush, rain-soaked location for this upcoming boutique hotel is a UNESCO World Heritage site celebrated for its ancient cedar forests and shifting coastal weather. Commissioned by the hospitality brand NOT A HOTEL, the project will hide within a landscape defined by moss-covered rocks and misty green canopies.

Jean Nouvel’s design draws directly from the island’s topography, embedding the building within the natural contours of the terrain. Walls of locally-sourced stone and broad panes of glass form a low, grounded structure that can be gradually discovered as the forest unfolds. Thus, the architecture reflects the island’s elements, welcoming the rain and shadow as a part of its atmosphere.

images © NOT A HOTEL, Ateliers Jean Nouvel

not a hotel lands on yakushima island

Ateliers Jean Nouvel approaches the design of NOT A HOTEL YAKUSHIMA as a celebration of absence. ‘The most sophisticated things belong to nature — its landscapes, its paths, its reliefs, the views that will be revealed; everything else is absence,’ the architect explains, describing his approach. His words emphasize the project’s restraint. The built space becomes a quiet frame for Yakushima’s scenery, rather than an object within it.

Inside the hotel, spaces open broadly onto the forest and sea, creating an atmosphere that is at once contemplative and immediate. Subtle transitions between indoor and outdoor areas invite guests to move freely with the rhythms of weather and daylight. The stone surfaces collect rainwater and reflect shifting skies, while glass expanses channel sounds of wind and water.

the retreat stands on the lush UNESCO World Heritage island of Yakushima

a continuation of the island cliffs

‘At its base lies the stone — a permanent presence, shaped by time, rain, and wind, carrying the patina of years,’ Jean Nouvel adds, describing the influence of Yakushima’s landscape on his design for NOT A HOTEL. Rocks and stone blocks are arranged as if they have always been part of the island, their textures blending with the surrounding forest floor and nearby cliffside. This tactile connection to the site lends a design that values permanence and encourages quiet observation among the trees.

The interplay of light and shadow reinforces the sense of continuity with the landscape. Openings frame views of the sea and distant peaks, while the interiors are softened by the shifting glow of Yakushima’s ever-changing weather. The design team seeks to inspire a slow engagement with the environment and highlights the delicate balance between built form and otherwise untouched landscape.

stone and glass walls follow the natural contours of the terrain

As part of NOT A HOTEL’s larger group of retreats across Japan, the project is a flexible model of ownership and hospitality. Members can purchase a residence and share it as a hotel stay when unoccupied, with the brand managing maintenance and operations. Sales for NOT A HOTEL YAKUSHIMA are set to begin in summer 2026.

stone surfaces and glass expanses capture shifting light and sound

Nouvel describes nature as the most sophisticated presence

project info:

name: NOT A HOTEL YAKUSHIMA

architect: Ateliers Jean Nouvel | @ateliersjeannouvel

location: Yakushima, Japan

client: NOT A HOTEL | @notahotel_official

visualizations: courtesy NOT A HOTEL, Ateliers Jean Nouvel

The post NOT A HOTEL unveils yakushima island location with architecture by jean nouvel appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

Hidden behind the bustling streets of Paris, the Hôtel de Pourtalès is a former private mansion that has been transformed into a secluded luxury apartment hotel. Once a private townhouse built by architect Félix Duban for Swiss-born banker and art collector Count James-Alexandre de Pourtalès in 1839, this neoclassical building has been reimagined as a luxury destination for those who value privacy and design. Since 2002, the building has been listed as an official historical monument with every contemporary intervention carefully balanced to preserve its aristocratic soul. For designboom, a stay during Paris Design Week offered an intimate perspective on this unique transformation, showcasing a new vision on hospitality.

all images courtesy of ​​Hôtel de Pourtalès

THE PERFECT DESTINATION FOR A LUXURY STAY IN PARIS

With its discreet charm, tasteful décor, and prime location near the Champs-Élysées, a stay at the Hôtel de Pourtalès serves as a key anchor for an on-the-ground exploration of Parisian design culture. The hotel‘s historical inspiration draws on a Renaissance Revival style, making it a perfect example of the fusion of heritage and modernity celebrated during Paris Design Week. Founded on the idea of privacy, the Parisian establishment offers a new experience — more confidential than a guest house or luxury hotel.

founded on the idea of privacy, the hotel presents a new vision on hospitality

NINE PRIVATE SUITES AT HÔTEL DE POURTALÈS

The hotel’s design is a masterclass in creative tension, a subtle combination of its classical roots with a contemporary and avant-garde vision. The renovation, led by Studio Labaye Sumi, preserved the DNA of the building — from its intricate cornices to its vaulted arches — while introducing contemporary additions. This creates an aesthetic coherence between the two contrasting expressions, transforming the space into a dynamic experience where historical grandeur and modern comfort coexist. 

The design team’s aim was simple yet profound: to create the impression of a home. Each of the nine private suites is designed as an exceptional living space, far more intimate and confidential than a guest house or luxury hotel. They redefine hospitality as a highly personalized, residential experience. Iconic pieces by Charlotte Perriand, Le Corbusier, and Gerrit Rietveld are thoughtfully positioned with creations from a new generation of French designers, such as Garnier & Linker. The studio also designed a custom line of furniture, with marble and metal pieces created in collaboration with renowned specialists.

the former private mansion that has been transformed into a luxury apartment hotel

Guests find themselves in apartments complete with private kitchens, spacious lounges, and dining rooms, with some even boasting a planted terrace or a rooftop with an enviable view of the capital. With suites ranging in size from 95 to 367m² spread across seven floors, the hotel offers an incredible diversity of volumes, all with its own specific decor, furniture, fabrics, and color palette. The Hôtel de Pourtalès also reveals a profound passion for contemporary art, turning the residence into a curated, private gallery. This artistic vision, combined with the refined service and discreet charm, ensures a stay that creates a timeless and intimate home-away-from-home experience.

the hotel combines its classical roots with a contemporary vision

the suites range in size from 95 to 367m²

the apartments are completed with private kitchens, spacious lounges, and dining rooms

spread across seven floors, the hotel offers an incredible diversity of volumes

the goal was to create the impression of a home

at Hôtel de Pourtalès historical grandeur and modern comfort coexist

each of the nine private suites is far more intimate than a guest house or luxury hotel

each apartment owns specific decor, furniture, fabrics, and color palette

some suites even boasts a planted terrace or a rooftop with an enviable view of the capital

Hôtel de Pourtalès redefines hospitality as a highly personalized, residential experience

since 2002, the building has been listed as an official historical monument

project info:

name: Hôtel de Pourtalès | @hoteldepourtales

location: Paris, France

design team: Studio Labaye Sumi | @labayesumistudio

The post hôtel de pourtalès turns renaissance townhouse into private luxury suites in paris appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

Located in Iga, Japan, the Hakusen Hotel offered designboom a first-hand look at the former Ueno City Hall, embodying a striking example of architectural revitalization. Completed in 1964, this modernist masterpiece was the work of Junzo Sakakura, a pioneering figure in post-war Japanese architecture and a direct protégé of Le Corbusier. What was once a public building has been reinvented as a stayable cultural complex, merging a 19-room boutique hotel with an upcoming public library to create a unique destination where architectural heritage, contemporary design, and intellectual discovery converge.

all images courtesy of designboom unless stated otherwise

PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP SAVES CITY HALL FROM DEMOLITION

While many old Japanese buildings are repurposed for tourism, the Ueno City Hall was saved from demolition by a citizens’ preservation movement and transformed into the Hakusen Hotel through a public-private partnership. This approach, driven by Funatani Holdings, was sparked by the former mayor’s vision to make the building a landmark for Iga, establishing a new cultural hub that could serve as a creative catalyst for the rural region. The hotel‘s concept of ‘floating on a sea of words’ embodies this ambition, offering a stay that is both a physical rest and an intellectual journey, fostering a deeper connection to the local culture beyond its well-known ninja heritage.

the public library is scheduled to open within the same facility in spring 2026 | image © Hakusen

HOTEL HAKUSEN INTEGRATES PUBLIC LIBRARY

The revitalization design by MARU。architecture pays deep homage to Sakakura’s original vision while weaving in modern comfort. Their approach centers on a continuously transitioning flow from outdoor to progressively calmer indoor spaces, maintaining low sightlines to encourage a settled, contemplative mood. The existing concrete walls and preserved wooden formwork are combined with ash wood and plaster to reveal a delicate texture. This pattern gently unites the atmosphere throughout the building.

reception area with wooden formwork on the existing concrete walls | image © Hakusen

For designboom’s stay, the Hakusen Hotel provided a suite room, styled by NOTA&design. The interiors resonate with a wabi-sabi-inspired simplicity, finished with warm materials and a serene atmosphere. Furniture by Tendo Mokko, originally designed by Sakakura Junzo Architects & Engineers, harmonizes with the minimalist spaces to create intimate guest rooms.

Each room is further enriched by the carefully curated art, chosen to bring a tactile feel and emotional depth to Sakakura’s sharp lines and concrete textures. Ceramic works by local artist Taro Tsubota and abstract paintings by Rena Fujimoto adorn each room, while a unique mosaic mural by ceramist Masaomi Yasunaga greets visitors, transforming the hotel into a living gallery where art and architecture engage in quiet conversation.

Iga’s former city hall transformed into a designer boutique hotel with 19 rooms

Even the logo and signage, conceived by UMA/design farm, contribute to this immersive narrative. The Hakusen logo itself is an abstract and poetic distillation of Sakakura’s architecture, evoking images of a boat, moonlight, or a reader lost in thought. Adopting navy blue — a color restored from the building’s original second floor — the logo and signage ensure that every visual element respects and enhances the architectural memory. Documentary photographs of the old city hall, taken by Yuma Harada before the renovation, are also exhibited, silently weaving the building’s past journey into the guest experience. This encapsulates how a stay at Hakusen is a profound journey through time, culture, and design.

the suite room, styled by NOTA&design

all rooms resonate with a wabi-sabi inspired simplicity

furniture from Tendo Mokko, designed by Sakakura Junzo Architects & Engineers | image © Hakusen

the rooms are finished with a warm material feel and a serene atmosphere

project info:

name: Hakusen Hotel | @hakusen_iga

architect: Junzo Sakakura

location: Iga, Japan

revitalization: MARU。architecture
styling: NOTA&design 

furniture: Tendo Mokko (designed by Sakakura Junzo Architectural Institute)

art: Masaomi Yasunaga, Taro Tsubota, Reina Fujimoto

logo & Signage: UMA/design farm | @umadesignfarm

website: SHEEP DESIGN Inc.

photography: Hiroaki Tanaoka

The post hakusen revitalizes modernist city hall into boutique hotel and public library in japan appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.